Beyond the notes: artist inspired by engineering

Singer Keren Ann will stage her debut Hong Kong concert, Keren Ann 2008 HK - Painting In Sound, on May 12-13, at the Sheung Wan Civic Centre.

Ann, whose concert is sponsored by Le French May, engineers her songs and writes choral and musical arrangements.

Based in New York and Paris, she has won accolades for her original compositions that give a fresh perspective on the art of songwriting.

In the studio, the Israeli-born artist looks beyond the chords and the cadences to produce a unique sound.

Marrying words and notes are only the beginning. 'The big challenge for me today is everything that has to do with sound and engineering,' she said.

After the release of her 2004 album, Ann planned to take a long break before working on new materials.